(Bloomberg) -- Dieters eating food high in carbohydrates and low on fat improved their mood longer than those on a low-carb, high-fat regime similar to the Atkins diet, researchers say.

A study of 106 overweight or obese people in Australia found those on the low-fat diet, which included bread, pasta and rice, were less angry, depressed and confused after one year than those who ate fewer carbs and more meat and dairy products, according to the study published today in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. Both diets were equally effective at reducing weight, the research showed.

More than 72 million Americans, or one-third of U.S. adults, are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings by researchers from Australiaâ€™s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation contradict earlier, smaller studies that showed no mood changes in people linked to different diets. More research is needed to explain the differences, they said.